You’ve probably heard this breed referred to as wiener dogs, but these long and stout companions are actually called Dachshunds, which is the German word for “badger dog”. They were developed in 18th century Germany to flush out badgers from their underground tunnel networks.

Their long, short, and slender bodies make them excellent burrowers. In fact, nowadays, they are known for burrowing themselves into bed sheets to curl up for a cozy nap. There’s a couple of variations of the Dachshund that are recognized by the American Kennel Club, and they can come with a variety of different coats.

Miniature Dachshund

The Dachshund is already a small dog, but they actually come in an even smaller size. Miniatures typically weigh no more than around 11 pounds and are about 5 or 6 inches tall.

Standard Dachshund

A standard sized Dachshund appears much longer than a miniature, weigh anywhere from 16 to 32 pounds, and are approximately 8 to 9 inches tall.

Types of Dachshund Coat’s

The Dachshund’s coat is one of the most impressive features of this breed. They’re considered to be hypoallergenic due to this breed’s lack of heavy shedding and low dander production. The Dachshund coat comes in three different types:

• Short-haired or smooth: This is the original type of Dachshund coat. It is short and neat and smoothly contours to their body. Some additional characteristics are leathery looking ears and longer hair bristles on their undercarriage.
• Long-haired: Researchers believe that breeders crossed the original Dachshund with a spaniel to create a more weather resistant version of these badger hunters. Their hair is usually straight or slightly wavy and is longer around the ears, undercarriage, behind the legs, and around the neck. It should be noted that long-haired Dachshunds are not considered hypoallergenic.
• Wire-haired: The third sub-breed of Dachshund is believed to have been created by crossing a short-hair with a wire-haired terrier for further protection when hunting. They are characterized by a short, dense and somewhat rough outer coat. Their undercoat is a little bit softer, and much like terriers, they have long facial hair. They are considered to have hypoallergenic properties and require less maintenance.

Dachshund Coat Colors and Patterns

The short-haired and long-haired Dachshunds usually have a single colored coat that appears either cream or reddish with some black hairs peppered throughout. Two-toned Dachshunds will commonly appear chocolate, black, gray (referred to as blue), fawn (with cream markings), or wild boar. The wire-haired dachshund usually presents with a wild boar coat.

Dachshund Patterns

Dachshunds have a lot variation in their DNA. Because of this, their coats can come in not only a variety of colors but many different patterns too.

• Dapple – This is characterized by a merle pattern. Dark and light patches of hair contrast each other throughout the coat. Sometimes either light or dark fur will be the more dominant color.
• Brindle – Characterized by dark stripes distributed across the entire body.
• Sable – This pattern usually appears as an overlay of dark-tipped hair on a red coat.

Dachshund Eye Colors

Most darker Dachshunds will have various shades of brown eyes. However, if their coat is on the lighter side or peppered with light hair, chances are they will have hazel, green, or blue eyes.

Sometimes a Dachshund will have two different colored eyes. This usually only happens when they have what’s called a double-dapple coat pattern, where there is a surplus of white fur mixed into a dapple pattern.

Dachshund Maintenance

Other than their spunky personalities, one of the main reasons Dachshunds have become such a popular family dog is their low maintenance coats. Although there are no true hypoallergenic dogs, Dachshunds do produce less dander and don’t shed excessively.

Short-haired Dachshunds only need to be bathed around once a month, and you only really need to groom your dog’s dead hairs once a week. Long-haired coats may need to be bathed more frequently, especially if they are outdoor dogs. Wire-haired Dachshunds, on the other hand, have very resilient coats, but in order to make sure they look their best, it’s advised to have them stripped a couple times a year.

An important note for all Dachshunds is to clean behind their droopy ears, as these areas can be very susceptible to bacteria or fungus growth. Whether long or short, Dachshunds have beautiful coats. Be sure to consult your vet to learn about recommended practices and diets to keep your Dachshund looking his very best!

Sources:

1. “Dachshund Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts.” Dogtime, Accessed 22 Dec. 2017. www.dogtime.com/dog-breeds/dachshund#/slide/1.
2. “Dachshund Dog Breed Information and Pictures.” PetGuide, 23 Oct. 2017, Accessed 22 Dec. 2017. www.petguide.com/breeds/dog/dachshund.
3. “Dachshund Dog Breed Information.” Vetstreet, Accessed 22 Dec. 2017. www.vetstreet.com/dogs/dachshund.
4. Kriss, Randa. “Dachshund Dog Breed Information.” American Kennel Club, 6 Nov. 2017, Accessed 22 Dec. 2017. www.akc.org/dog-breeds/dachshund/.
5. Meggitt, Jane. “How Many Different Types of Dachshunds Are There?” Cuteness.com, 18 Sept. 2018, Accessed 22 Dec. 2017. www.cuteness.com/article/many-different-types-dachshunds-there.